The present invention relates generally to apparatus and methods for use in making electrical interconnections and, more particularly, to such apparatus and methods that are utilized in conjunction with making crimped connections involving at least one magnet wire lead of an inductive device such as a dynamoelectric machine.
The above referenced Kindig patents point out, inter alia, the desirability of utilizing crimped connections in connection with the manufacture of motors and those patents particularly emphasize the difficulties and problems associated with making long lived reliable connections for motors that are to be used in hermetically sealed refrigerating compressor applications. In the motor art, stator assemblies so utilized are frequently simply referred to as "hermetic motors" although technically a complete motor would of course additionally include a rotor, shaft, bearings, housing, end frames, etc.
The above referenced Kindig patents also point out the difficulties in making high quality, long lived crimped or "splice" connections involving aluminum winding material in stator assemblies.
While the above referenced Kindig patents represent a substantial advancement over the state of the art as it existed prior to the Kindig inventions; it would now be desirable to make improvements both in the apparatus and methods taught by Kindig.
For example, it would be desirable to provide new and improved apparatus utilizing substantially less steel or other materials in the construction of such equipment without sacrificing the strength and reliability of such apparatus.
A review of the above mentioned Kindig patents will reveal the use of a toggle linkage supported on an eccentric shaft, with the position of the eccentric shaft being adjustable in order to change the height of a crimped connector "splice". While the apparatus illustrated in the above referenced Kindig patents was capable of being set up so as to make crimp heights of any desired value within the predetermined range or limits of the equipment; once the equipment was in fact set up for operation, it was capable of automatically making only two different crimped connector heights. Thus, it would be desirable to provide improved apparatus and methods whereby virtually an infinite number (within the two limits or range of the machine) of crimp heights may be automatically produced without requiring intervening manual set ups of the equipment.
The above referenced Kindig patents also illustrate a pawl type feed wherein a reciprocating pawl is engagable with splices or connectors so as to advance such connectors along a relatively long track and to the crimping station. When the type of feeding mechanism shown in the Kindig patents is utilized, it becomes relatively difficult and expensive to modify or set up the equipment for handling differently sized connectors (splices). Furthermore, it has been necessary to have "set-up" specialists prepare the prior art equipment for use with different stator models. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide new and improved apparatus and methods whereby differently sized connectors (splices) may be automatically fed to a crimp station while minimizing the number of parts (and the expense of such parts) that must be interchanged in the equipment because of such change in connectors. It would also be desirable to provide new and improved methods and apparatus such that equipment could be "set-up" for different stator models without requiring the time and attention of "set-up" specialist.
The above referenced Kindig patents also disclose a method by which crimp connector equipment may be mechanically programmed in order to automatically establish a desired connector configuration (i.e. with or without a stuffer wire segment, and with a desired final crimp height). It would, however, be desirable to provide new and improved apparatus and methods whereby an operator could simply utilize an identity card, label, or other information bearing medium to automatically program this type of equipment.
Accordingly, a general object of the present invention is to provide new and improved methods and apparatus for providing the various desirable attributes or improvements mentioned hereinabove; and for solving the various problems mentioned hereinabove.
Another general object of the present invention to provide methods and apparatus wherein an information carrying medium other than a stator assembly per se is utilized while programming crimp connector apparatus and so that the apparatus will be automatically operative to provide crimped connectors of desired heights and with or without stuffer wires as desired.
It is another object of the present invention to provide improved methods and apparatus wherein automatic means for infinitely varying the angular position of an eccentric shaft in a toggle linkage crimping machine may be provided.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide improved apparatus and methods for feeding interconnected splice connectors to a crimping station.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide new and improved methods and apparatus whereby a relatively compact and comparatively inexpensive and yet mechanically rigid and strong crimping machine is provided.
A further object of the present invention is to provide new and improved methods and apparatus wherein the angular position of a crimp height determining eccentric shaft is monitored, and wherein a signal indicative of the angular position of such shaft is fed back to a control means.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide new and improved methods and apparatus whereby a crimp connection machine operator can easily and quickly personally condition or "set-up" such machine for use with different stator models without requiring the services of a "set-up" specialist.